Albert gallatin mead



(No Model.) Y

' A. G. MEAD.

BUTTON.

No. 325,688. Patented Sept. 8, 1885.

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ALBERT GALLATIN MEAD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE TO THE BALL ANDSUGKET FASTENER COMPANY, OF NASIIUA, N. H.

BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,688, datedSeptember S, 1885.

Application filed February 2, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: material, composed of the two members con-Be it known that l, ALBERT GALLATIN structed as herein specified andembodying MEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing my invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical section of at Boston, in the county of Suliolk andState the socket member completed and attached to 55 of Massachusetts,have invented certain new the fabric, While Fig. 3 shows a similarsecand useful Improvements in Buttons; and I tion ofthe ball memberofthe fastening. Fig. do hereby declare the following to be a full, 4Eshows the button-shaped cap with the fastclear, and exact description ofthe invention, ening eyelet or rivet without the socket porsuch as willenable others skilled in the art to tion. Figs. 5 and 6 arecross-sections taken 6c I 3 which it appertains to make and use thesame, diametrically through the socket portion.

referencebeinghad to the accompanying draw- Fig. 7 is a plan of thecomplete socket memings, and to letters or figures of reference ber. 8shows a partially-completed ball marked thereon, which form a part ofthis struck from an intact blank. Fig. 9 represpecilication. sentis thecompleted ball prior to the attach- 6c T5 This invention relates tometallic fastenings ment to the material, and Fig. l() the rivetemployed in securing the separate flaps of any employed in fastening tothe vi'abric the ball, article, suc-h as gloves or other similararticles which is adapted to be employed in connec oi' wear, in lieu ofthe ordinary button and tion with the socket. Fig. Il illustrates thebutton-hole, and pertains especially to that rivet in position in thehollow ballbefore coin- 7o C class entitled ball-andsocket fastenings,in pression. Fig. l2 represents the other meniwhich a ball is adapted tobe inclosed by and ber of the fastening` and its attaching devices.retained within the hollow or socket member, In these drawings I haverepresented the when the fastening is actively employed. completefastening at A as composed of two I consider my present inventionembraces, portions; B, the socket or hollowr inclosingv75 first, themethod of centrally securing the part, while C represents the ball orinclosed socket portion of the fastening to the article, portion, whichI will now proceed to describe, whereby the open part or socket of saidmemand may be considered as compound, since it her is disposed upontheunder side of thc flap is incomplete without its fastening-rivet a,and secured by a rivet extending through the which secures the active orball element I) o fabric, thus in permanently securing it to the thereofto the fabric. This portion b is formed latter a suitable button-head orcap is elni'rom a flat blank, c, l'ormed ot' any suitable ployednpon theupper surface olthe ilap and metal by a die which at thesame timeoperates can be sol'ormcd and constructed as to forma to strike up andforni a short cylinder, d, button iinish, a result much desired, sinceit hemispherical at its extremity, say, from the 35 gives the article auappearance exactly simibroken line l. 2, while the diameter of said larto an ordinary button, which is the most cylinder is to be the same asthat of the tinneat and tasty .finish that can be employed in ished ballportion b. Alter this operation the the class of articles of apparel towhich such blank is transferred to a second die or revolvi'astenings areusually attached, but, further, ing rollers, where the short cylinder orneck 9o 4o the whole device is thereby concealed and preportion (l,lbelow the line l 2, is compressed vented from becoming caught andbroken; and rounded into a hemispherical shape, e, secondly, in thepeculiar method of forming which completes the ball b. (See Fig. 9.) theball member of said fastening, as likewise Moreover, the metal formingthe lower portion that of the rivet by which the ball is secured duringthis forming process has drawn down .i5 Ato the fabric, the two partsforming a unit the top portion and shortened it slightly, and andreadily used in connection with the socket the whole sphere, whencompleted, rests snugly member, forming an article very easily manuponthe iiange f and is now in readiness to ufactured, cheap, andinexpensive, and one be secured to the fabric as one member of a whichpresents an unusually ornamental finish. fastening device of the classhereinbefore pre- Ico 5o The drawings represent, in Figure l, acrossmised. L Section ol' a complete `fastening attached to the Hithcrtoit has been a very dillicult thing to secure a member of a fasteningdevice so constructed to the fabric, since if any device is attached toits exterior periphery in order to secure it the usefulness of the ballis very much impaired, since a portion of the surface is occupied. HenceI have employed in lieu of an external fastening,\vhich has heretoforebeen generally employed, an internal or central fastening, and in themethod employed I consider exists one of the essential features of myinvention.

I will now proceed to describe the second element, a, or fasteningrivetof the ball portion or inclosed part of the fastening. This rivetis'formed somewhat similar to the other element, b, from a circularblank, g,- but the latter is struck up in the form of a cylinder,hemispherical,preferably,at its extremity and of an external diameterequal to the opening t' in the ball orinclosed part. Afterward saidblank is transferred to a pair of rolls, which cripple or weaken themetal at the contracted portionj, leaving the upper portion intact andof a length, as shown by the dotted lines 5 6, slightly longer than thediameter of the ball b, for purposes to be described. This passing1 ofthe rolls over the part j leaves a short neck, k, below,and is of asuitablelength adapted te compensate for the thick ness of the fabric A.From this neck extends the flange which forms a bearing for thefastening,to give it steadiness, and at thc same time more securelyaffix it to the material, since it incloses a larger area of the latterand prevents it tearing away.

In order to secure the ball element I) of the member C of the fasteningto the material, I proceed as follows: Having punched or otherwiseformed a hole in the fabric, I place the ball element over said holewith the opening t in alignment therewith. I then take the rivet a forfastening the part b of said member C and insert it through the hole inthe fabric and into the ball 71 until the cylinder /L rests against thetop of the ball,(see Fig. 11,) when, owing to the length of said rivet,the fiange does not come in contact with the material A', and itrequires to be inserted in a die in which the matrix is spherical toprevent injury to the ball in the act of securing the two elementstogether. Then the plunger is brought down upon the flange of thefastening-rivet a,while, owing to the crippling of the metal atj, beforementioned, which part is constructed to rest about opposite the top ofthe opening t, the metal begins to yield and spread or fia-tten againstthe pressure, rolling outward, while the top of the cylinder h is spreadout and very nearly fills the interior of' the ball, approximatingthereto in general shape as shown in Fig. 3. This compression orcrippling of the fastening-rivet a has somewhat reduced its length, andits flange now firmly closes the material between it and the angef ofthe button part b. This crippling of the material effects a secondresult besides that accomplished in the above description-that is, it

prevents any undue pressure from distorting the proper shape of the neckk, and this always insures a proper fastening of the member C withoutdisturbing the normal shape of said neck.

I have now in complete and perfect form a member, C, of a fasteningdevice, spherical in shape, intact throughout its periphery, and yetsecurely and rigidly fastened to the fabric without any exteriorfastening appendages by which to attach it, as is usual, and impair itsefficacy or detract from its appearance.A

In a fastening device of the class before premised, a somewhat similardifficulty has existed in securing the socket or hollow inclosingportion of the fastening, as has occurred in attaching the ball orinclosed portion thereof, and I have therefore constructed such socketmember as follows: D represents, in Figs. 5 and G, diametricalcross-sections of a hollow socket provided with yielding sides. Thisform of socket has heretofore been secured to the upper side of thefabric by a lateral arm, which does not present a neat or ornamentalfinish, and is liable to catch and be torn from the article. Hence Ipropose to radically change the position thereof andlemploy the activeor socket portion below the fabric, and dispose an ordinary fasteningeyelet, Z, through said socket D. This eyelet is located centrally ofthe socket, and when this part of the fastening is completed iS. securedand rests at its top between the cap or buttonhead F, which surroundsthe whole and the disk E, while its lower extremityT is similarly upsetupon and over the interior periphery of the socket D. The disk E may bea fiat plate 5 but in the present instance I have shown its outer edgeor circumference bent vin order to approximate to the general shape ofthe button-head when the latter is pressed into its finished form, andthus it strengthens said cap. Moreover, the eyelet l is passed into IOOthis disk Eand secured between the latter and the button-cap by pressingthe two together, as shown in Fig. 2. Hence in securing this socket orany similar hollow member of a fastening device, I punch ahole in thematerial sufficient to enter the eyelet l. Having previously struck upthe button-shaped cap F, I place in it the centrally-perforated disk E,with the eyelet in it, and insert the lower extremity of the latter intothe opening m of the socket D, which has likewise been placed inposition upon the under side of the material and centrally of the holetherein, in readiness for the introduction of said eyelet. When this isaccomplished, the buttonshape cap is placed in a similarly-shaped die,and with a round-headed plunger the lower extremity of the eyeletZ isswaged or pressed out laterally. By this process the disk E approximatesvery nearly in shape to the outside periphery of the button-head, whilebetween these two ele` ments is retained the enlarged top of the eyeletZ. Moreover, the lower extremity of said eyelet is spread out at thesame operation against the. interior surface of the socket D, andthelatter is maintained in close connection with the fabric AE and theparts D E F and Z are 'firmly united, thus completing the .other memberor inclosing portion of the fastening fabric.

By reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings, I have shown a slight deviationin the manner ot' finishing the button portion of the fastening, asshown in Fig. 2; but I do not consider this modification distinct fromthe spirit of my invention, nor embodying new matter, since it wouldordinarily suggest itself to one skilled in the art to which itappertains. In case it is desired, the imperforate cap or button-head Fmay be entirely removed, and lby this means, although not securing abutton nish, still the cost of making this part of the fastening ismaterially lessened. Supposing this form is adopted, theey'elet must beflush with the exterior surface of the disk E. In vorder to present amore perfect nish, and at the same time to prevent the edges thereoffrom catching, I have formed an annular depression, g, in the top ofsaid disk E ofa depth equal to the thickness of the metal forming theeyelet Z. Thus a smooth exterior surface is secured. In lieu offinishing the socket portion of the fastening in the manner abovedescribed, a capped eyelet may be employed, in which the cap of theeyelet may be extended to cover and inclose the disk E in the mannershown in Fig. 2 as accomplished by the imperforate cap or buttonhead F,since by this method the cost of the finished article is somewhatlessened.

It will readily be seen that the interior or active portion ofsaidsocket or inclosing portion is not interfered with, and the ball niembercan easily enter its full diameter, if so desired. On the other hand,Iliave effectual] y concealed the socket portion of the fastener fromsight, and in lieu thereof I have substituted a simple circular buttoncap or head, as shown in Fig. 7.

The whole fastening device, when the coniponent parts (the hall andsocket) are inten locked or actively employed, presents a very neat andtasty appearance, since from disposing the said members in the mannerabove described all parts are concealed except the cap F, whichsurniounts the whole, and, if it so desired, may be engraved orotherwise more or less ornanientally finished.

l. A iianged ball or sphere formed from a sheet of metal intact, andprovided with an interior chamber, with a fastening-rivet adapt ed to beinserted and iiattened within said ball, for the purpose set forth.

2. A flanged tubular fasteningrivct constructed in one piece andprovided with a head and neck, in combination with a iianged hollow ballwhich receives said head, and is held to the material by said rivet, forthe purpose set forth.

3. In a fastening device, the flanged rivet composed of the head, thecontracted or crippled part j, and the neck, whereby, upon compression,the head vis spread laterally, and the ball member of the fastening issecured to the fabric, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

4. In a fastening device of the nature de scribed, the inclosing portioncomposed of a hollow socket centrally secured to the fabric by abutton-head, F, and with the inclosing portion dispose-d upon the underside of the flap, substantially as stated.

5. The combination, with a member of fastening device composed of ahollow socket, with spring or yielding lips disposed upon the under sideof the iiap and centrally secured to the latter by a button-head, of theball constructed and secured to the outside of 8 the material, in themanner substantially as set forth.

6. A member of a fastening device consisting of a hollow socket, incombination with a rivet and button-head, whereby it is centrallyattached to the fabric, substantially as set forth.

7. A member of a fastening device composed of a hollow socket, D,centrally attached by au eyelet, Z, the latter resting upon and Withinan annular depression, q, formed in a concaved collet or disk, E,substantially for purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT GALLATIN MEAD.

Vitnesses:

H. E. LODGE, A. F. HAYDEN.

